Vancover, British Columbia, Canada
Morphosis, Francl Architecture, and Clive Wilkinson Architects together with PFS Studio will design a new corporate home for lululemon, the healthy lifestyle-inspired athletic apparel retailer in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Led by Morphosis, the design team includes Clive Wilkinson Architects who will guide the strategy for the interior workspaces, lending their expertise in workplace practices and organizational communication and culture.
Vancouver-based Lead Architect Francl Architecture will employ their passion for building in the city of Vancouver to ensure a smooth delivery process.
Landscape architects PFF Studio will respond to site constraints and maximize view of the surrounding landscape including the central atrium and carved out areas on its sides that feature greenery and public spaces.
The future space, also known as the Store Support Centre, will serve as the main office for lululemon’s global headquarters.
Morphosis’ commitment to creating transformational experiences that inspire growth, creativity, and empowerment aligns with lululemon’s purpose to elevate the world by unleashing the full potential within every one of us.
Morphosis will draw on their expertise of developing visionary, research-driven projects rooted in environmental, social, and economic sustainability to design a building that will serve as an extension of the core values of the brand itself.
The design for the 13-story Store Support Centre creates strong connections between the building and its site, landscape, and community, with exterior and interior spaces that encourage collaboration and innovation.
The exterior façade will feature a high performance brise-soleil system that limits solar heat gain to reduce energy consumption and to modulate the interior building climate for occupants, while also opening views of the surrounding environment.
The design aims to promote health and wellness, by including ample access to daylight, green spaces, and landscaped terraces that strengthen connections to the exterior.
Internally, the office floors are organized around a full-height central atrium that delivers light deep into the center of the building.
The atrium serves as the social and cultural heart of the building, with stairs that wrap around the atrium to connect each level, and a central gathering space for employees.
At the street level, the ground floor of the building is activated by a public plaza, retail space, and art along Great Northern Way to further enhance connections to the surrounding neighborhood.
“We are incredibly excited about the next chapter of our story both globally and in our hometown of Vancouver,” said Susan Gelinas, SVP, People & Culture, lululemon.
“Our new Store Support Centre will allow us to consolidate our offices and retain, attract, and grow our talent as we deliver on our strategic growth plans.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with lululemon on this project and joining them at an important time in the evolution of the company,” said Mayne.
“The guiding principles behind Morphosis, including innovation, wellness, and sustainability, resonate with lululemon’s values,” added Partner and Project Principal Arne Emerson.
“This is an exciting project to create a lasting impact on all current and future lululemon employees.”
Architects: Morphosis
Architects of Record: Francl Architecture Inc.
Architects for Interiors and Workplace Strategy: Clive Wilkinson Architects
Landscape Architects: PFS Studio
Client: Lululemon Athletica Inc.